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It's a split decision.
Choose PostgreSQL when you need an open-source database and want to select and operate the rest of your stack yourself. Choose Supabase when your application benefits from a managed Postgres database plus built-in authentication, storage, REST APIs, realtime and edge functions. Supabase’s free plan has explicit storage, egress and project limits; paid plans start at $25 per month. These products overlap at the database layer, but Supabase is a backend platform, not a like-for-like replacement for PostgreSQL alone.
01Side by side
| PostgreSQL | Supabase | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free database software; hosting and operations are yours | Free tier; paid plans start at $25/month |
| Free tier | Free of charge; no published seat or usage limits | 50,000 MAUs, 500 MB database, 5 GB egress |
| Open source and licence | OSI-approved PostgreSQL License; open source | Open-source; Supabase licence terms aren't published |
| Self-hosting | Self-hostable database | Self-hostable backend platform |
| API and SDKs | Database system; official docs cover installation and use | REST APIs and @supabase/supabase-js for React |
| Integrations | Homepage lists no named integrations | React, Next.js, Flutter, Stripe, OpenAI, others |
| Deployment model | Database software; teams provide hosting | Backend platform; hosted or self-hosted |
| Limits and scaling | No published seat or usage limits | Plan limits; paid overages and compute charges |
PostgreSQL Choose PostgreSQL if
- Choose PostgreSQL if you want to run the database yourself.
- Choose PostgreSQL if an OSI-approved PostgreSQL License matters.
- Choose PostgreSQL if you want no published usage limits.
Supabase Choose Supabase if
- Choose Supabase if you need auth and Row Level Security together.
- Choose Supabase if you want ready-to-use REST APIs and storage.
- Choose Supabase if you prefer a backend platform with monthly plans.
02Pricing at real usage
PostgreSQL is free of charge under the OSI-approved PostgreSQL License. There is no PostgreSQL subscription price; teams supply hosting and handle operations, so infrastructure costs depend on where and how they run it. The pricing page does not list seat or usage limits.
Supabase’s Free plan costs $0 per month and includes 50,000 monthly active users, 500 MB of database per project, 5 GB egress and 1 GB file storage. It allows two active projects, which pause after a week of inactivity. Pro starts at $25 per month and includes 100,000 MAUs, 8 GB disk, 250 GB egress and 100 GB file storage. Pro overages include $0.00325 per additional MAU, $0.125 per GB of disk and $0.09 per GB of egress. Compute is separate: paid plans include $10 in credits monthly, and Micro compute is listed at $10 per month.
03API, SDKs and integration
PostgreSQL is a database system, so it fits as the data layer in an application stack. Its homepage directs developers to official documentation for installing and using it, alongside community learning resources. The homepage does not name language SDKs or a CLI; choose the client libraries and deployment tooling that fit your application.
Supabase adds application-facing services around Postgres: ready-to-use REST APIs, authentication with Row Level Security, file storage, realtime synchronization and edge functions. Its homepage shows a React example using the JavaScript package @supabase/supabase-js and a createClient call with the project URL and anon key. It names React, Next.js, Flutter, Expo and React Native, along with Stripe, Vercel, OpenAI, Hugging Face and LangChain. The homepage links to docs, but does not identify a CLI in the published product details. Supabase’s APIs and services can reduce the number of separate components an app team needs to wire together.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
PostgreSQL is open-source software under the OSI-approved PostgreSQL License, and it can be self-hosted. That gives teams control over where the database runs, but also leaves hosting and operational work to them.
Supabase is also open source and self-hostable, and describes each project’s Postgres database as 100% portable. That portability helps at the database layer; it does not mean every platform feature moves with the data. An application using Supabase Auth, Storage, Realtime or Edge Functions may need replacements for those services if it leaves the platform. Before adopting it, check which services you plan to use, how you will export and restore data, and what migration work replacing platform-specific APIs would require. Supabase’s hosted plans also bundle these services, so the platform’s convenience comes with more service coupling than PostgreSQL alone.
Questions people ask
Is there anything better than Supabase?
That depends on what you need. PostgreSQL is a better fit if you want a database without Supabase’s bundled backend services and plan-based usage limits. Supabase fits teams that want Postgres with built-in Auth, Storage, REST APIs, Realtime and Edge Functions. Compare the services and operating work your application actually requires.
Can PostgreSQL handle 1 billion rows?
The PostgreSQL homepage does not publish a maximum row count or a one-billion-row benchmark. Row volume alone does not establish whether a workload will fit; the database design, queries and available infrastructure matter. Test representative workloads on the PostgreSQL version and hosting setup you plan to run.
What are the key differences between PostgreSQL and other databases?
PostgreSQL is an open-source object-relational database system with more than 35 years of active development. Supabase uses Postgres as its database and adds hosted backend services, including Auth, Storage, REST APIs, Realtime and Edge Functions. Compared with another database, evaluate its data model, application interfaces, hosting options and operational requirements.
Is PostgreSQL obsolete?
No. PostgreSQL’s homepage describes more than 35 years of active development and lists maintained releases, including PostgreSQL 18.6, 17.11 and 16.15. It also announced PostgreSQL 19 RC 1 in October 2026, while advising developers not to run release candidates in production. Check the version policy when planning upgrades.